Fakhrul demands quick polls

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today demanded quick polls after clearing the garbage created by the past Awami League regime. 

He was addressing an educational material and corrugated iron sheet distribution ceremony for flood victims at Fulgazi upazila. The programme was held on the premises of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia‍‍`s ancestral home at Sreepur of the upazila. 

Mirza Fakhrul said the interim government has already completed many works in the last three months. 

He hoped the government will hold elections within the quickest possible time after cleaning the garbage created during the past Awami League regime. 

Noting that the people of the whole country deem Khaleda Zia like a mother, the BNP secretary general said the BNP chairperson fought throughout her life for realizing the people‍‍`s democratic rights.

When autocrat HM Ershad stanched away power from the people, Begum Khaleda Zia waged a movement mobilizing the youth. 

After assuming office of the prime minister, she worked for the country to establish democracy, he said.

Khaleda Zia made education free for students and created job opportunities for women, the BNP secretary general said.

Mirza Fakhrul said after going to power, Awami League government sent Begum Khaleda Zia to jail in false cases.

"She was kept in a small damp room. She couldn‍‍`t sleep properly there. She was not allowed to have a proper meal. That is why, she became sick. She served 6 years in jail but didn‍‍`t budge from her stance against injustice and still she is holding her head high," he said.

But, the culprits of Awami League who launched repression on people and carried out killings have fled, Fakhrul said.

Fulgazi Upazila BNP convener Fakhrul Alam Swapan chaired the programme while BNP Chairperson‍‍`s Adviser Abdus Salam and Joynal Abedin, Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, National Executive Committee Assistant Training Secretary Rehana Akhter Ranu, Members Shahana Akhter Shanu and Abu Taleb, Feni District BNP Convener Sheikh Farid Bahar, Member Secretary Alal Uddin Alal, Joint Conveners Professor MA Khalek, Gazi Habib Ullah Manik, Yakub Nabi and Anwar Hossain Patwari, Jubo Dal General Secretary Nashir Uddin Khandaker, Swechchhasebak Dal President Saidur Rahman Jewel, General Secretary SM Kaiser Elin, Chhatra Dal President Salahuddin Mamun and General Secretary Morshed Alam Milon were present.
 
BNP‍‍`s Feni-1 constituency organizational convener and Dhaka City South convener Rafiqul Islam Majnu conducted the ceremony.

Later, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir joined a massive public rally at Chhagalnaiya court ground marking the National Revolution and Solidarity Day.

BNP‍‍`s Feni-1 constituency (Chhagalnaiya, Parshuram and Fulgazi) organizational unit organized the rally joined by a massive number of leaders and workers and cross section of people.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: "Our movement is not over yet. We have to stay on the streets until democracy is fully established".

He said, "We will have to continue our movement until recovery of our leader Begum Khaleda Zia‍‍`s illness, returning of acting chairman Tarique Rahman to the country and establishing of people‍‍`s government. We will have to build a discrimination-free and beautiful Bangladesh".

Noting that the fascists should be tried quickly, Fakhrul urged the interim government to hold the elections quickly after reforming electoral issues.

"The people have given you the responsibility to run the government after the ouster of fascist regime in massive mass uprising. Head of the government Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus is a respected person. He glorified the country by winning the Nobel Prize. We want to extend cooperation to him," the BNP secretary general said.

He said 60 lakh leaders and workers of BNP were made accused in 52,000 cases were lodged and 7000 leaders and activists were victims of enforced disappearance during the fallen regime.

"Many are still searching for their father. Even after suffering so much repression and torture, BNP leaders and workers were still in the field. They fought against fascism, did not accept authoritarianism. They will be in the struggle to establish democracy in the future too," Fakhrul said.

He said that preparations are underway to take BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment and sought doa from the people
of Feni for her recovery.

Rafiqul Alam Majnu, organizational coordinator of Feni-1 Constituency and convener of Dhaka City South unit of BNP, chaired the rally which was moderated by central leaders Belal Ahmed and Abu Taleb.

BNP Chairperson‍‍`s Advisers Abdus Salam and Professor Zainal Abedin, Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, BNP Chairperson‍‍`s Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Organizing Secretary Mahbubur Rahman Shamim, central leaders Rehana Akhter Ranu, Advocate Mezbah Uddin Khan, Advocate Shahena Akhtar Shanu, district convener Sheikh Farid Bahar, member secretary Alal Uddin and joint convener MA Khalek were present.